With a population of more than 20 million, Shanghai is one of the world’s most highly populated cities. Divided in two by the Huangpu River, the historic centre of the city, Puxi, is on the western side of the river, and modern Pudong, with the ever-changing skyline is on the east.
Although it is a vast metropolis, with hundreds of towering skyscrapers, a 24-hour stopover is sufficient time to see the main highlights but to explore the city properly you need at least 3 days.
JIN MAO TOWER
First stop on any sightseeing tour should be the Jin Mao Tower’s 88th floor observation deck. The third tallest skyscraper in Shanghai, the views give a sense of the enormity of the city and help orientation of the west and east sides. For a room up high, the Shanghai Grand Hyatt Hotel occupies floors 53 to 87, the second highest hotel in the world.
THE BUND
Reopened in March 2010 after extensive restorations, the Bund is the very heart of 1920s Shanghai. Art Deco, Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque buildings line the waterfront road with views across the promenade of the river and Pudong. The historical buildings once housed banks and trading houses from across the world and are now used by Chinese banks, shops and hotels. No. 12 The Bund, formerly the grand HSBC Building, is now the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and the next-door Custom House has a clock and bell tower modelled on London’s Big Ben.
YU YUAN GARDENS & OLD CHINA TOWN
In the centre of Nan Shi, the old Chinese part of the city, Yu Yuan Gardens, dating back to the 16th century, are one of the finest examples of a classical Chinese residential garden. The six smaller areas within the garden feature rockeries, ponds, wooden bridges, water features pagodas and pavilions. After wandering through the gardens, visit the Bazaar and small surrounding alleyways full of classical Chinese architecture and plenty of souvenirs. Finish up for lunch in one of the many Dim Sum restaurants for Shanghai’s delicious speciality xiao long bao, soup dumplings.
NANJING ROAD
Shanghai’s pedestrian version of Oxford Street is one of the world’s busiest shopping streets running over 3 miles from the Bund to the Jing’an Temple and is lined with large department stores, an abundance of food outlets and shops selling everything from designer clothes to traditional silks and jade proructs. By day the road is heaving with shoppers and by night colourful neon signs and huge video screens light it up every building.
AFTER DARK
When the sun sets in Shanghai the buildings come to life with spectacular lighting and illuminations on the predominant skyscrapers across the city. The Oriental Pearl Tower in Pudong flashes like a disco ball and lights on all of the buildings along the Bund are floodlit giving equally beautiful city views from both sides of the river.
And for really after dark: The Chinese love their karaoke!
